St. Patricks Loaded Baked Potato (Printable Version)

Comforting soup featuring loaded baked potato flavors with a healthier, creamy twist for cozy celebrations.

# Ingredient List:

→ Potatoes

01 - 1.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 stalks celery, diced

→ Liquids

05 - 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
06 - 1 cup low-fat milk
07 - 0.5 cup plain Greek yogurt

→ Cheese

08 - 0.5 cup reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese

→ Toppings

09 - 4 slices turkey bacon or center-cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
10 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Seasonings

11 - 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
12 - 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
13 - 0.25 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 0.25 teaspoon dried thyme

# Steps:

01 - In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove, crumble, and set aside. Discard most bacon fat, leaving about 1 teaspoon in the pot.
02 - Add onion and celery to the pot. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Stir in diced potatoes, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and thyme. Pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender.
04 - Using an immersion blender, partially blend the soup directly in the pot, leaving some chunks for texture. Alternatively, transfer half the soup to a blender, blend until smooth, then return to the pot.
05 - Stir in milk, Greek yogurt, and cheddar cheese. Heat gently until cheese is melted and soup is creamy—do not boil. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top each serving with crumbled bacon, sliced green onions, and an extra sprinkle of cheddar cheese if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes indulgent like a loaded baked potato, but the Greek yogurt and broth keep it from sitting heavy in your stomach.
  • The partial blending gives you silky smoothness with enough potato chunks to feel substantial and real.
  • You can make it vegetarian in seconds, or add spicy sauce if you're feeling bold.
02 -
  • If you boil the soup after adding the Greek yogurt, it can break and become grainy—keep the heat gentle and you'll have silky results every time.
  • Leaving some potato chunks is not laziness, it's texture; blending it completely loses the rustic appeal that makes people feel like you actually care.
03 -
  • If you make this soup regularly, cook your bacon first thing and store it in the fridge so assembly becomes even faster on busy days.
  • An immersion blender changed my life—it lets you blend soup directly in the pot without transferring anything, which means less cleanup and less cooling of your soup.
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